Cuts and Bruises
by Mairalynn
Summary: Scorpius and Albus have a talk, and a possible life-threatening situation.


**Happy Pride Month, my lovelies! I actually really love this one. Like, this is my favorite one I've written so far.** **Possible trigger Warnings:** __ _Self-harm(kind of) and well, cuts and bruises._

He was lost. That was the only thing. He normally wouldn't of minded being lost, Albus always appreciated being alone. But Albus Potter was lost, without his wand, at midnight, in the forbidden forest. On the night of the full moon. He was damned. Oh god, what was he going to do? He had no wand, he had lost it somewhere along the way to where he was now. In a forest full of Centaurs, Acromantula, and Werewolves, if his hearing could be trusted. Of course he had always heard that sometimes people in scary situations will start to imagine things. But there was no way that he was imagining the ear splitting howl of a werewolf, that he could hear was slowly getting close to him.

The pale werewolf, his ashen fur glinting in the moonlight, sniffed in the air again. He could smell a boy. Not just any boy, but his mate. Scorpius, or Lysander in his wolf form, edged toward where the scent of his mate was coming from. The scent of his mate was tantalizing, oranges, vanilla, and parchment, his mate's heavy breathing in his ears. The werewolf got closer, and closer, until suddenly, as a clearing became visible in the middle of the forest, he saw his mate. And his mate most definitely saw him.

His mate most definitely was a good choice. Stocky, with hair dark as night, but with an oddly feminine scent to him. Lysander cocked his head. His mate was breathing too heavily. His mate was scared. Of him. He stalked closer, his senses going into overdrive. His mate's eyes darted all around him, accidentally making their gazes meet. Green eyes met molten silver, flecks of amber, eyes.

Albus was scared. Really, really scared. He was in front of this creature, known for killing and harming, yet it was doing none of that. He watched as the werewolf came closer to him. He stood there as the wolf circled him, pressing his nose against where his neck and shoulders met. Albus gasped, feeling the freezing cold nose press up against his neck, tilting his head a little, confused. He wasn't dead yet, nor was he a werewolf. The wolf rubbed his nose against his neck again, and Albus shivered. What the hell was going on? He was about to possibly die and all he could think about was how good the werewolfs nose felt against his neck! What was he now? A muggle romance writer with a kink for beastiality? No, definitely not. Suddenly, he felt the most press up against his cheek and nose and squeaked. Of course, if you asked him if he did, he would adamantly deny it. He took a step forward, away from the beast behind him and turned to face the wolf, head mirroring a similar expression with both of their heads cocked. He reached out, braver than he felt, and touched the Wolf's nose, petting him like he would a horse. The wolf almost purred, if wolves could purr.

If possible, Albus' head cocked to the side even more. What was happening? The werewolf opened his eyes again, and pressed his nose into Albus' hand. Albus almost smiled before he realised that he was standing here _petting_ a deadly animal. Although that animal was part human. The wolf, with the such familiar silver eyes, pressed his hand with his head so that Albus was petting the head of the werewolf instead of the nose.

"Do I know you? You know, when you aren't prancing around the forest." His voice spoke with trepidation, almost afraid to startle the werewolf. The werewolf nodded his head, sure that Scorpius knew his mate. Lysander could tell, though, that there wasn't that good of a connection between the two. Maybe they were friends, he thought. Lysander didn't like that, the closer to his mate, the better.

"Are we friends?" Without the sound of howling, the forest seemed much more quiet. The wolf cocked his head for a moment, then nodded his head yes. Albus couldn't tell if the werewolf had, had access to a wolfsbane potion or not.

"You aren't rose, I've known her since I was two. Besides, you don't seem like a girl." the wolf shook its head. "So you're a boy." _Yes._ "Hugo?" _No._ "James?" _No._ "Scorpius?" _Yes._

"My best friend is a werewolf? And you've managed to hide it from me for four years?" _Yes._

"Did you have a wolfsbane potion?" _No._ "You forgot?" _Yes._

"But why does the wolf like me so much?" The wolf, panicking, turned and darted off, leaving Albus' wand near him. Albus bent down and grabbed his wand, quickly casting a point me to get him out of the forest, just barely noticing the molten silver eyes following him.

The next morning, when Scorpius was escorted into the hospital wing, he found Albus waiting for him. Scorpius tried to turn around, but as he turned his neck, a sharp pain went into his skull and down his legs, making madam Pomfrey grip him harder and Albus rush over to put an arm around his waist to help support him, leading him over to a bed. Scorpius leaned back on his bed with a groan. Madam Pomfrey bustled off to get a pain potion. She gave it to Scorpius to drink and as he knocked back the potion, Albus suddenly spoke.

"I can take care of the minor cuts and bruises Poppy. Don't worry. We need some time to talk." At Poppy's look, he smiled at her, "please?"

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Alright, just make sure to be tender, especially around his ribs and stomach. He tends to get the most bruises and scratches there. Be careful with him. I'll be in my office." With a quick glance towards his friend, she left to go back into her office.

Albus quickly set to healing the cuts on his arms, face and legs. About halfway through healing a rather deep gash in his leg, Scorpius decided to speak up from where he was staring at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry. For not telling you. I just- I-" He took a shaky breath. "I didn't want to see your reaction. You're my best friend, Al. I didn't want to lose you because you thought your friend was a monster. Please," his voice cracked. "Just, don't- don't hate me."Albus looked at him with a frown.

"If you think I would hate you because of something you can't control, you don't know me, Scor. I would never hate you. You're my best friend." _Although you wish it was more_ , his mind reminded him. Albus scowled, and continued working at the gash. "How did you get this?" He looked up in time to see Scorpius frown.

"I- the wolf, I call him Lysander, he was angry at me. He didn't like that-" He abruptly broke off, wide eyed, and watched as Albus pulled the flimsy shirt he was wearing up and lifting his head off of his pillow so that he could get it off his head.

Albus took in his chest, sculpted from something other than quidditch, he was sure, his mind making up the excuse of checking his oldest friend _and crush_ for injuries. He was perfectly aware of his friends wide eyes on him, and decided to make things easier for himself. He sat down on the edge of the bed, setting to heal the cuts on the part of his stomach closest to him. He traced a particularly nasty cut on his upper chest lightly with his finger. "What about this one? It worries me."

Scorpius breathed in and out slowly, trying to keep his breathing even. But it was so hard with him, _his mate_ , so close to him. Touching his chest, no matter the circumstances. Albus glanced up into the eyes of the boy he had fancied for years, his worry clearly evident. Scorpius was refraining himself from reaching up and kissing him.

"Er, the wolf…. It was mad at me last night." Albus' brows pinched together, and he wished to press his thumb against the lines appearing in his skin, smoothing them down.

"Why last night?" Albus was curious and confused at the same time, something he had always hated, being able to have multiple feelings and emotions at the same time. He didn't like emotions much.

"Uh, well, he was angry at me letting you go, actually." Scorpius pressed his hands to his temples upon seeing Albus' shocked and slightly scared look. The muscles under Albus' hand tightened and he glanced down to find that he had rested one of his hands on Scorpius' upper chest, keeping clear of his cuts and his longest finger almost reaching his collarbone, and his other hand resting lightly on the boy's stomach. "You….you wouldn't understand unless I tell you, and that would be risking our friendship as well.." Scorpius was muttering to himself, completely oblivious to the fact that Albus could hear every word he was saying.

"You tell me a secret that could risk our friendship and I'll tell you one too. Even trade, right?" Scorpius looked up at Albus' words, eyes flicking over how the older boy was resting his hand on his stomach as if he was afraid he would break him, and how his other hand was pressing into his chest, almost possessively. He didn't think that Albus knew his actions, but the wolf in him soared. _His mate was touching him. His mate was so close, and he is so possessive over me._

"Alright." Albus visibly relaxed, his hip unknowingly coming to rest on the other boy's hip. "My wolf got mad at me because I let my mate get away last night. Because I let you get away from him last night. You, Albus Potter, are my mate." Scorpius almost held his breath, anxiously waiting for the older boy's response other than his eyes lighting up a little more that they normally would. Albus got up off the bed, and Scorpius felt his heart sink. He knew it. He knew- suddenly he was being straddled by his mate, his hands on his chest, and Albus Potter was leaning towards him, his eyes locked on Scorpius' lips.

"I've fancied you for years, Scorpius Malfoy." Albus whispered just before his lips touched the other boy's. It was tentative, a mere brushing of lips, Albus being careful not to hurt him anymore than he already was. Scorpius, knowing what Albus was doing, took his hand and yanked Albus closer so that he wasn't so tentative with handling him. He wasn't going to break. His arms went around the other boy's neck, and Albus broke away for a moment, whispering "I really should get back to healing your wounds."

"You really should" Scorpius whispered, pulling him down for another kiss.


End file.
